STILL YOURS
CHAPTER 7
Disclaimer:
A sliver of light broke into Mikan's hotel room, waking the sleepy brunette from her deep sleep. Rubbing her eyes as they opened; she stretched her arms out to reach for her phone by the bedside table.
8:05 am.
20 emails from House of Yukihara New York
5 emails from Shouda Modeling Agency
3 text messages from Sumire
10 missed calls from Hotaru
And 2 voice mails from Natsume
Mikan decided to call Hotaru back first, to let her know she's on her way to Imai Corp. but it led her straight to Hotaru's voicemail, so she texted her best friend instead.
The brunette got out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom, her phone in hand scrolling through her several emails from House of Yukihara New York and Shouda Modeling Agency. She opened one email from SMA (Shouda Modeling Agency).
Good day, Ms. Yukihara!
We would like to inform you that a lot of our models would love to work with you and your team for your upcoming fashion show. Attached below are some of the models we think would fit your style. Please review them and let us know what you think! We would love to hear from you and your team very soon. See you next week for the casting!
Mikan opened a file and it revealed several full body and profile shot photos of a model named Chie Saito. She scanned her portfolio and was impressed by what she saw. She forwarded the emails from Shouda Modeling Agency to her secretary, instructing her on what to do next. She put her phone down and stepped into the shower.
Once the brunette was done getting ready, she took her phone again and read the text from Sumire.
My team sent you the portfolios of possible models you might like, text me back when you get it xx S
Call me when you get to Imai Corp. xx S
I'll be at Imai Corp. at 10 am for a meeting with your team to settle the casting date. See you there xx S
Before she could reply to Sumire's text messages, Hotaru's caller ID popped up.
"Hello?" Mikan says, putting her phone on speaker.
"Where are you, baka? You have a lot of paper work here." Hotaru's annoyed voice replied.
"Sorry," Mikan says hurriedly getting her bag from the table, "I'm on my way! Give me 20 minutes,"
"Okay, just hurry," Hotaru says before ending the call.
As the brunette was exiting her hotel room and heading towards the elevator, her phone started to ring. Natsume.
Ignoring the call, she stepped inside the elevator and waited for the doors to close when her phone rang again. Natsume.
Rolling her hazel eyes, she ignored the call again.
Once the elevator door opened and showed the lobby, she spots Natsume's jet black hair from outside the hotel. She must be imagining things. Mikan brushed off the idea of Natsume being outside her hotel and just texted her driver to pick her up by the lobby.
She felt a presence behind her and when she turned around to see who it was; a pair of crimson eyes greeted her along with a smirk on the great Natsume Hyuuga's face.
"N-Natsume?" Mikan stutters.
"Hi, Polka," Natsume says, as he stepped forward closer to the brunette.
"What are you doing here?" Mikan asks, still not believing Natsume was there in front of her.
"I called you, dummy and it led straight to your voicemail," Natsume says, "didn't you listen to it?"
"Uh, sorry, I didn't feel like I needed to listen to it," Mikan says as she took a step back and avoiding Natsume's gaze.
"I'll drive you to work," Natsume says as he takes Mikan's bag from her and started to walk away from the brunette to his car parked out front.
"You don't have to do that, Natsume," Mikan says as soon as she caught up with him, "I'll have my driver take me to work,"
"All the more reason why I want to drive you myself," Natsume says as he open the door to the passenger's seat for his brunette companion, "get in."
But Mikan did not budge. She just stood there annoyed at Natsume for bossing her around.
"I said get in, Polka," Natsume ordered again.
But Mikan stayed put. "My driver's on the way here, he can take me to work,"
A now annoyed Natsume stood in front of the brunette. "You'll be late, Polka,"
Mikan immediately checked her watch and looking at the time, she only had 10 minutes left before her first meeting. She hurriedly got into Natsume's car and motioned him to drive.
Smirking, Natsume knew he won that round.
Their drive to Imai Corp. was quiet. Only the music blasting from Natsume's stereo kept them sane.
"I'll drive you to work every day from now on, Polka," Natsume says breaking the silence between them.
"You don't have to," Mikan says plainly still looking out the car's tinted window, "I have a driver remember?"
"I want to," Natsume says taking a quick glance at Mikan and then returned his eyes back on the road, "Didn't I tell you I want us to try again?"
"And I told you I didn't want to, Natsume," Mikan says without looking at her crimson eyed companion, "Please, it would better that we don't,"
Natsume didn't question further; he was scared of what Mikan would say if he did. He was scared that it would be because that French guy was already her boyfriend, or if she told him she didn't love him anymore. And he wouldn't want to hear any of those two replies. So he stayed quiet.
Mikan on the other hand, does not regret what she told Natsume; because it was the truth. She knows that Natsume might be thinking that it was because of the person she was speaking on the phone with yesterday, but it wasn't because of that. Her reasons are far more complicated than that. Mikan was scared. She was scared of what would happen if they did get back together; if they were to go back to the way they were. She didn't want to get hurt again. She has spent years trying to fix herself up, trying to live her life without Natsume beside her, trying to move on.
Mikan's train of thought was interrupted once she saw the skyscraper that is Imai Corp.
Once Natsume reached to a stop and parked in front of Imai Corp.'s entrance doors, Mikan thanked him and immediately got out of his car and rushed inside the building without looking back. As soon as Mikan entered the building, she was greeted by her secretary, handing Mikan her coffee and filled her in with her schedule of meetings for day.
As they were walking towards her make shift office, she spots Hotaru and enthusiastically waved at her amethyst eyed best friend.
"You're late," Hotaru says as she walked towards Mikan who was still talking to her secretary, "Everyone's waiting at the conference room,"
"I'll be right there, Hotaru," Mikan says as she smiled at her secretary before leaving the blonde with her work schedule.
Mikan makes her way to the conference room and was greeted by her team from New York and Japan.
"What you guys doing here?" the brunette designer asks her New York team.
"Miss Yukihara, did you not receive the emails we've sent you?"
"I was just getting to those," Mikan says as she sat down a chair offered to her, "Is there something wrong in New York?"
"Well, nothing's wrong in New York, Miss Yukihara," a girl with blonde highlights started, "we actually have a huge client who wants to you to design her wedding gown,"
Mikan nods as she was given a folder containing the clients information, "well then, I'll send her my designs by email,"
"Actually, Miss Yukihara," a girl with pink hair interrupted, "she wants to meet with you personally in New York,"
"And, another big client wants you to design several gowns for her debutant ball," the girl with blonde highlights says giving Mikan another folder, "she also wants to personally meet you,"
The brunette designer nods and examines the files given to her, "Okay, book me a flight to New York this weekend and another ticket flying back to the Japan as soon as possible,"
A knock was heard from the glass doors of the conference room and Sumire enters, "Sorry I'm late,"
Sumire settles herself and a few folder down and starts, "About the casting, when would you be free, Mikan?"
"Miss Yukihara's schedule is not free until next week," Mikan's secretary tells Sumire, "I can book you in from Wednesday till Friday,"
"Please do," Sumire says smiling at Mikan's blonde secretary.
"Anything else we need to discuss?" Mikan asks her whole team.
"Yes there is, Miss Yukihara," a blue haired assistant says standing up, "I just got off the phone with the engineer for House of Yukihara Paris, and he says there was a problem with the location,"
"What's the problem?" the brunette designer asks, "We don't branch out until early next year,"
"Apparently the location we originally wanted is a bit small for the space we need," he starts as he hands Mikan notes of what the engineer told him, "he suggests we find another location as soon as possible,"
"I don't need to fly out to Paris for that, do I?" Mikan asks looking away from the notes and to the blue haired assistant.
"No, Miss Yukihara," he says, "We'll be sending out someone from our team to scout for new locations, and you just have to approve of it,"
"Okay, how about our location in Milan?" Mikan asks.
"Well, we still have plenty of time before the opening at the end of next year, Miss Yukihara," he says as he quietly sits back down, "But everything is going along smoothly regarding Milan,"
Mikan nods, "How about the pieces that are to walk on the runway this season?"
"Everything's settled, Miss Yukihara," a girl with purple hair says, "the tailors will start them this week,"
They continued their meeting and ended at exactly 12 nn.
Mikan looked for Hotaru as soon as she got out of the conference room to invite her to lunch. She went to Hotaru's office, but her best friend wasn't there. She called and texted her, but she wasn't answering. So, the brunette decided to ask Hotaru's red head secretary where her best friend was.
"She's out for lunch with Mr. Nogi, Miss Yukihara," she'd told her.
Since her amethyst eyed best friend wasn't there, she decided to ask Sumire out instead.
"Sorry, Mikan," Sumire says gathering her things, "I promised Koko we'd eat together,"
Since none of her friends were there to eat lunch with her, the brunette decided to order take out and deliver it to the office instead. She did remember that she had a ton of paper works pending on her desk, waiting for her signature.
Mikan's secretary insisted on staying with Mikan while she worked but the brunette told her it was fine and she should go get herself lunch.
While waiting for her food delivery, she reviewed a bunch of paper works stacked on her desk. She was so immersed in her work that she failed to notice someone standing by the glass doors.
She was startled when she heard a faint knock. Looking up to see who it was, she was then staring at crimson for the second time that day.
"Hi," he says walking towards to Mikan's desk, holding a brown paper bag, "Delivery for you,"
Mikan stands abruptly; her hazel's still locked onto crimson's. "What are you doing here, Natsume?"
"I was going to ask you to eat lunch with me," Natsume says lifting the brown paper bag he was holding, "But it seems you already ordered take out,"
"Why didn't you just call?" Mikan says as she took the paper bag Natsume was holding.
"I had a feeling you'd say 'No' if I asked you on the phone," Natsume says as he walked around Mikan's make shift office, "So I came here, instead."
"Sorry, Natsume, but as you can see," the brunette says gesturing to her desk, "I'm quite busy right now."
"Then it's good that I came, then," Natsume says as he makes himself comfortable on a loveseat located in her office, "Let's eat together,"
"Natsume," Mikan says as she looks at her unexpected visitor, "Stop it,"
"Just try, Mikan," her visitor says, practically begging, "please,"
"And I told you I didn't want to," she says as she takes out the food contents inside the brown paper bag, "Now if you want to eat, let's eat. I'm hungry,"
They ate their food silently while stealing quick glances of each other from time to time.
Mikan knew she still has feelings for this person sitting beside her, but her answer remains the same. She doesn't want to get hurt by the same person again. As for Natsume, he wasn't sure if Mikan still felt the same way towards him, but all he knew was that he would do anything to get the love of his life back.
Halfway through their food, Mikan's secretary knocked on her door.
"Come in, Leila," the brunette says, smiling when she sees her, "what is it?"
Leila opens her notebook, "Miss Yukihara, I've already booked your flight back to New York this weekend, and I've spoken to your clients waiting there. Your flight will be this Friday, Miss. As for your schedule, the bride is scheduled on Saturday while the debutant is scheduled on Sunday."
The brunette designer simply nods, taking a sip of her drink. "Anything else?"
Leila flips the pages of her notebook, "Well one of your friends, Miss Pelletier, called and invited you to her fashion show in Paris a month from now. This is scheduled a week after your fashion show, Miss Yukihara."
"I'll be the one to talk to her then," Mikan smiles are Leila as the blonde walks towards the door, "Thank you, Leila."
As soon as Leila is out the door, Natsume stands and looks at the brunette. "You're going back to New York?"
Mikan stands and starts cleaning up their mess, "Yeah, this weekend."
"But don't you have work here, still?" Natsume questions.
"Yes," Mikan says picking up and throwing away the brown paper bag, "But I also have work there,"
"You don't have to go," Natsume says, "tell them you're busy,"
"I can't tell them that, Natsume," Mikan says as she walks to her desk, "Why are you so bothered by this, anyway?"
"Oh I don't know," he says, "Maybe because you might not actually be doing work once you go back and start dating that French guy behind my back,"
"Stop overreacting," the brunette designer says, "Besides, why can't I date him?"
"Because you have me, already,"
"Ha ha, funny,"
"I'm serious, Mikan," Natsume says taking the brunettes hand, "Stop making me feel this way,"
"Make you feel what?"
"Stop making me feel jealous,"
"Stop playing, Natsume," Mikan says as she let go of Natsume's hold, "I told you a thousand times over and over again, we're not getting back together,"
Before Natsume could argue, the brunette's secretary knocks and slowly opens the door.
"Miss Yukihara, Miss Imai is calling for you in her office," Leila says, and when the brunette replies with a small nod and a smile, she closes the door behind her.
"I'm busy right now, Natsume," Mikan says walking towards the door, "You know the way out, right?"
"Hn,"
And as soon as Mikan was out the door, so was Natsume.
"Great timing, as usual, Imai," he muttered under his breath.
As Mikan made her way to Hotaru's office, she takes a quick glance at Natsume's retreating figure walking towards the elevator. When she saw the elevator doors close behind him, she sighed in relief.
When she sees Hotaru's office doors, she notices her best friend talking to her personal secretary outside.
"Hi Hotaru," Mikan calls waving at her best friend while approaching her, "You called for me?"
As soon as her amethyst eyed best friend sees the brunette, she motioned her inside her office.
"Who was your visitor?" Hotaru asks turning to look her best friend.
Mikan rolls her eyes, "Natsume,"
"What did he want?" asks Hotaru, eyeing Mikan.
"He wanted me to eat lunch with him," Mikan says, sitting down in front of Hotaru's office desk.
Hotaru followed suit, sitting in her chair, "And? What did he say to you?"
Mikan inhales, thinking about if she should tell Hotaru the truth. But just thinking of lying to the Hotaru Imai gives her chills. She couldn't imagine what would happen if she did, and she wouldn't want to find out either.
"He wanted to get back together," Mikan finally says, afraid to look at her best friends amethyst eyes, which is now carefully eyeing her.
"And what did you say?" Hotaru simply asks, keeping her cool.
"I told him that I didn't want to," the brunette says.
Hotaru softly applauded the brunette, "Wow, I didn't think you would say that,"
Mikan now looks at her best friend, who had a look on her face, "I told you, Hotaru. I don't want to get involved with him anymore,"
"Well, I wasn't sure if you actually meant it," Hotaru says opening her laptop, "Are you sure you're okay, though? And what happened to you last night, by the way?"
"I just needed some fresh air," Mikan says taking a peek of what Hotaru was doing.
"How did you get home? Did you walk?" her best friend asks not looking up from the screen.
"Yeah, the park was near the hotel anyway," Mikan says without thinking, and with that Hotaru's head shot up.
"Park? As in the park?"
"Yup, the park," Mikan says taking Hotaru's ballpen which was sitting on her desk and scribbling on a piece of paper she found, "He was there too,"
This perked up Hotaru's curiousness, "He as in Hyuuga he?"
"The very one," Mikan says as she continued to scribble lines, "As always, he's being stubborn,"
"And so are you, Mikan," Hotaru tells her best friend, "You're stubborn too,"
"How am I stubborn?"
"You keep telling me that you don't want him in your life anymore, but you aren't forcing him out of it," the amethyst eyed girl says bringing her attention back to her laptop, "He's slowly making his way in it again. And you aren't stopping him,"
This made Mikan think. Is she subconsciously letting Natsume back in her life again? Even when she's promised herself and her best friend that she wouldn't anymore?
"Just be careful, Mikan," Hotaru says again, "it is Hyuuga, after all."
"I will, Hotaru," Mikan nods at her, acknowledging Hotaru's concern for her.
Just as the brunette was about to leave, Hotaru asks her about how her work was going.
"I'm going back to New York for a few days," Mikan simply says, "I'm leaving this weekend,"
"Why can't you let your other designers do it?" Hotaru asks again.
"The clients specifically requested for me so I couldn't say 'No,'"
"Who's picking you up from the airport?" Hotaru questions further.
"I told them to get me a driver,"
"Does he know you're going back?" Hotaru asks once more, looking up from her work.
"He doesn't actually," Mikan says as she stood up and walked towards the door, "He's not even going to be there, Hotaru. He's back in France,"
"That's good," Hotaru says, returning her attention back to her laptop and started typing, "Less distractions,"
Mikan laughed at this. And just then, her phone rang in her pocket.
She looked at the caller ID and immediately looked at Hotaru and showed her who was calling. She took a deep breath before answering. "Hello?"
"Bonjour, Mikan,"
A/N: I'm back, ya'll! This chapter was long overdue, and I completely forgot to post it as soon as I was done writing it 3 years ago hehehe sorry! But here it is, so I hope you like this new update and I can't wait to write the further chapters since we've been stuck in this pandemic for quite some time now.